Weapons seized in Chigwell at suspected illegal firearm factory
Four men were arrested at the commercial address in Chigwell. - Credit: PA Archive/PA Images
Detectives have recovered three firearms, ammunition, and drugs from a commercial premises in Chigwell.
After attending the Romford Road address, officers found evidence of the conversion and manufacturing of firearms.
Four men, aged 20 to 55, were arrested and remain in custody.
Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “Yet more potentially lethal weapons have been removed from the streets and people are safer as a result of the actions of my officers.
“The streets of London do not belong to those intent on violence, they belong to the public.
“We will never be complacent and our work to suppress shootings will not ease. The Met has been extremely successful in the last few months as we target gun criminals.
“These successes give us even more of a hunger to bear down on those involved and bring them swiftly to justice.”
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The operation was part of a crackdown on violent crime by the Metropolitan Police, who announced yesterday that they had seized 450 firearms in 2020/2021, compared to 366 in the previous financial year.
Police expect this trend to continue, with 98 firearms seized in the first quarter of this financial year, compared to 92 for the same period in the previous year.
Sadiq Khan joined Commissioner Cressida Dick on an operation targeting gun crime and gang activity in east London - Credit: Metropolitan Police
Mayor Sadiq Khan joined Commissioner Cressida Dick on an operation targeting gun crime and gang activity in east London, which saw local officers and firearms specialists target those suspected of carrying firearms and being involved in street gangs.
In 2021, London has seen the lowest number of lethal barrelled discharges for 10 years, with 114 between January and July compared with 183 for the same time period the previous year.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said that tackling violence was his “number one priority” and said he was determined to support the Met’s work to target the most serious offenders.
He said: “There will continue to be a relentless focus by the Met on suppressing violence over the summer with more officers on the streets patrolling open spaces and parks, as well as working to keep our town centres safe both during the day and night.
“This activity is part of our comprehensive plan to tackle violence this summer in London and brings the police, City Hall, London’s Violence Reduction Unit, local authorities and criminal justice partners closer than ever before to drive down violence and be tough on the complex causes of crime by helping support young people and delivering hundreds of positive opportunities.”
